Tag Archives: attitude

I mentioned in my last post, that we’d started feeding Rio 4 times a day as a means to compensate for slower processing in the ol’ puppy pooper. Between that and the (almost) cup of pumpkin a day, it seems to be helping — we’ve not had any more vomiting for several weeks, and she’s struggling less when she goes #2! That’s the good news… The bad news is…. I have created a monster. She’s decided that 4 meals a days isn’t nearly enough, and is lobbying hard for additional portions. She is eating us out of house and home. She doesn’t seem to be gaining any weight with all the additional meals which is a little troublesome, and I can definitely feel the “bad guy” in the V between her stomach and her hip, but looking at this from a purely “happy in the moment” point of view (which, I’ll admit is pretty rare), she is doing really good. Maybe even great. She’s been funny and playful and spirited, and yes, demanding, these last couple of weeks. And so, I say, if the appetite is good, and she wants to eat, I will feed her. I love this monster!!!

I took Rio in this morning for her 4 month ultrasound recheck. If you’ve been following my occasionally very rambling posts, I will apologize in advance for their lengthy nature. This one may very likely take on a life of it’s own…. Enter at your own risk.

The outcome of a 4 hour wait at the vet’s is that her cancer has come back. Given my less than sunny nature, I can’t say that I wasn’t sort of anticipating the worse, especially given how AWFUL (no drama here, seriously) this entire year has been for our whole family — in fact, I spent several hours googling like crazy yesterday in order to prepare myself should the worst occur. But it still was a punch in the stomach when the vet tech took me into a room to hear the outcome of the results…

At Summit, most of the interaction between the client and the dog-ters and techs takes place in the waiting room. Symptoms are discussed, courses of treatment, surgical outcomes, etc. — quite fascinating to me, an unabashed people watcher — but if it’s really bad news, they take you into an exam room. They don’t tell you going in that its gonna be bad news, but trust me, I’ve spent enough hours here to know, watched enough comings and goings, seen the devastation on people’s faces. I know that if you go into the room, nothing good is going to come from it.

As usual, I digress (or maybe its just stalling tactics. If I don’t type it, then it isn’t true…. but, sadly, it is…..). Rio’s cancer has reemerged in the form of an enlarged lymph node and “suspicious” activity in her spleen. For Mast Cell cancer, this is “normal.” This is what it does. It moves to the spleen, the liver and then into the bone marrow as a form of basophilic leukemia. Some of the niggling little things I’ve been noticing lately — the persisant cough, her being out-of-breath following any sort of activity, the weird, lumpy bruise along her scar that a quarter-sized piece of skin peeled off of — these were starting send up red flags in my little pea-brain. Enough to send me running for my computer and re-reading a lot of my original research. Turns out, most of these “nothings” were actually symptoms that could be contributed to mild granulation — when the mast cells start breaking free of the tumors and moving about the body. And while they “could be,” I held on to the hope that they could also be symptoms of other less life-altering things. The cough, it could be allergies. It’s been a weird summer weather-wise. We planted a new garden. There could be more/new dusts, molds, plants, etc. The bruising could be a spider bite or other insect. I was hoping, hoping, hoping that I would be able to post this evening: Rio’s Ultrasound Results Were Clear!!!! But this has SOOOO not been our year….

I was still thinking positive and was actually quite cheerful when the vet tech came and said the doctor had my results and would go over them in the exam room, and then I faltered. I looked down at my little girl, and she looked up at me and said, “Come on, mom! They have cookies in that room!” And the whole time the dog-ter was giving me the run-down on options and treatments and time lines and quality of life, Rio kept shifting in the room to catch her eye. “Did you not see me sitting here?! Why are you NOT giving me cookies? Hellll-llo!!!” Even while the tears were falling, I kept laughing at her and her less-than-subtle begging! That’s my Woo… She never forgets a place that someone may have given her a cookie! It might have been years ago!!! And even if, in my opinion, it was less than optimal circumstances that put her in said place.

As a wrap-up, I could apologize for the lengthy nature of this blog post, however, let it not be said that I led you into it without a warning. I had a boss once who always got impatient with my project updates (not sure why…), and would always ask for the “net-net.” Well, here it is: The enlarged lymph node was aspirated, and we’ll get cytology back shortly (hopefully before the end of the week), but our oncologist is pretty certain that it is metastatic MCT. The “grainy” texture of her spleen has gotten worse, and her adrenal gland has a “mass.” Because the lymph node has changed since her last US (April), the change has either occurred while she was still on chemo, or has appeared post-chemo (in the last month). Neither of these situations is optimal.

My take on these findings: She’s always had a somewhat grainy appearance to her spleen, and has had cytology done every single time she’s undergone an ultrasound. I’m hoping that this is just more of the same. Her adrenal glands were different sized last time around as well, and although they usually see both of them enlarged with pituitary Cushings (and this is what we’re assuming Rio has), they weren’t overly concerned with their appearance last time ’round. I’m hoping that when they measure and compare, it won’t be too much more concerning this time. As for the lymph node, you can be certain that I have used my share of expletives (no children were present). Rest assured that we are still fighting!!! The options keep getting slimmer, but I’m not giving up on my girl! Mainly because that would constitute acknowledging that I am coward and life has beaten me, and I’m not quite there yet. However, I can use any and all support that you might feel inclined to shoot our way. I am certain that Rio will fight her way through all of this, as she has managed to do for the past 4+ years, however I am only human, and I am struggling to be as strong as my little rock(head).

Give your pups an extra large hug for us tonight!

Rio’s momma

PS: If any of have any firsthand knowledge about Kinivet (masitinib) and/or chlorambucil, please send me a PM.

Rio had her nearly last chemo this week (only two more left, YAY!!!), and so far, she’s doing pretty darn good. She slept a lot today, but still had a good appetite and was pretty playful in between the naps. Her tummy’s a little upset this evening (I need a gas mask), but I’m confident that she’ll be back to her self in a day or so. Over the last couple of weeks, she’s been making some definite strides in the right direction — she’s been seriously funny, crazy, wanting to play, lots of energy, lots of silly. She seems to have more strength in her remaining rear leg and (pause for effect……..) she’s even started growing hair — truly! She’s got tiny little whiskers along her back, and when she stands in the light, you can see the new growth. Again, YAY!!!

Well, it’s another lovely day in the Puget Sound! (I say that with all the sarcasm I can muster. These days that get incrementally darker as the morning wears on really test my resolve to keep a positive attitude!)

Today is our worst day, so far. Rio has seemed a little “off” the last couple of days — nothing terribly obvious, she just didn’t really seem to have as much energy as normal. But this morning, it was pretty obvious she wasn’t feeling well. She barely wanted to eat her breakfast, and that is just NOT like her.

Today we administered Rio’s third round of chemo (CCNU). She’s been doing really great, although last week’s CBC numbers were considerably lower than when we started. Dr. Sarah, our oncologist, prescribed Cerenia for vomiting, since she did get sick on the Vinblastine two years ago, but we haven’t needed it so far. Continue reading →